We Don't Say Those Words in Class...

There is 5-year-old boy with autism in my program.  Thomas has been in the program since he was two and developmentally he has not changed a great deal.  Thomas has no language, is unable to sit still, interact with the other children in the classroom and he loves pulling things off the shelf as well as banging objects on various surfaces.  When Thomas is walking around the classroom, he is moving his hands up and down, grunting in a singsong manner.  When Thomas does sit, his hands still move about, and he attempts to get close to the other children, hitting them with his hands as they exchange space.  On one particular day, one of the children said to her mom, “look, mommy, that’s Thomas, he’s bad because he hits us all the time”.  The parent ignored the comment, rather rushing her child out the building, grabbing the child’s hand leading her towards the door.  The other children heard her, but remained silent.  In situations like this ignorance is not bliss, but ignorance breeds more harmful ignorance.  I believe the parent did not know what to say or how to address her child regarding a child with a disability, however the fact that the statement was left unaddressed only re-affirmed what the child believed to be true but also perpetuated this idea that children with differing abilities are less than normal.  “A color blind approach that does not acknowledge” difference, “…teaches children that something is wrong with the differences they do see” (Wolpert, 2005). 

The teachers in the classroom decided to do a special circle time to discuss how we are all different, but how we are all the same.  The teachers decided to be “…proactive…to challenge bias…children are likely to be exposed to” (Wolpert, 2005).  The teaching team focused on communication and the methods by which we all communicate, focusing on the fact that although Thomas did not have language, he did use his hand to communicate; when Thomas reached out hitting the other children he was not trying to be hurtful or bad, but trying to make a connection with his peers.  The teachers further empowered the children by showing them ways they could help Thomas use gentle hands to communicate. 

The teachers believed in the social competence of the children and their “…ability to interact effectively and maintain positive relationships with others” (Han, 2010).  They sought to create an environment of trust not only for Thomas, but also for all the children in their care.  To further enhance the experience, the teaching team could have invited Thomas’ mom to the classroom so she could share information about Thomas and how she and her family communicate at home.  Parents are a wealth of information and should be utilized as a resource (Han, 2010).  In addition, the children could go on a trip and visit other children with disabilities, expanding their social focus towards a bigger existence, and helping them recognize “the existence of diverse cultural practices and diverse perspectives” (Wolpert, 2005).  Educators need to believe children are capable to talk about the things they visually see every day that call attention to differences. 

References

Han, S. H. (2010). Sociocultural influence on children’s social competence: A close look at kindergarten teachers’ beliefs. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 24, 80–96. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/

Wolpert, E. (2005). [Video]. “Start Seeing Diversity: Race/Ethnicity”